Green Room

Mitt Romney’s anger flashes on the “apology tour”

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney rarely displays anger. Despite petty–even snarky–jabs aimed at him from President Obama during the past two presidential debates, Romney maintained a cool, above-it-all demeanor that made him appear more presidential than the president.

But there was a flash of anger in Romney’s performance at the last of the three debates, and, appropriately, it was anger expressed on behalf of the American people. The contrast with the president couldn’t have been more striking. While Obama talked about “me, the nation” (hmm…where have we heard that before? ), Romney displayed control and humility, brushing past most of Obama’s attacks as if to signal, “this isn’t about me personally.”

But Romney showed fire when he took the president to task for his “apology tour,” and in this instance, Romney spoke for many Americans, not just himself.

This was the only moment during the various debates that triggered a visceral reaction from me, and I suspect that’s true of many other like-minded folks who watched. After Romney mentioned the president’s “apology tour,” and the president described that as a “whopper” discredited by the media, Romney went on to explain:

Mr. President, the reason I called it an apology tour is because you went to the Middle East, you flew to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iraq.

By the way, you skipped Israel, our closest friend in the region, but you went to the other nations.

And by the way, they noticed that you skipped Israel.

And in those nations on Arabic TV, you said America had been dismissive and derisive. You said that on occasion America had dictated to other nations.

Mr. President, America has not dictated to other nations, we have freed other nations from dictators.

Bravo! Whatever our country’s flaws, we don’t need to have a president acting like a preening member of an over-rated country music group dissing us while abroad. Romney spoke for all of us in that clip, and he showed the right level of righteous indignation and anger on our behalf.

It was a knockout moment, but it occurred around the hour mark of a debate up against Monday Night Football and baseball on the schedule.

Blowback

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Thanks for this, Libby. You’re the first commentator I’ve seen who has pointed this out. For me, this was the most stunning moment in the debate, because when Obama had an opportunity to respond to this, he said nothing. It was as though he realized that he had been trapped by his own words, and couldn’t find a way out. It was an implicit recognition that he’d been caught lying about his own record, and there was nothing he could do about it. It was…marvelous.

I am so proud of Romney for sticking to this point!!! It’s been cutely “fact-checked” and dismissed by the MSM so that many Americans had not heard about it. But it is a big issue personally to Romney, he mentioned it in his RNC convention speech and has talked about it often through the campaign. And it is a defining difference between him and Obama. Obama sounded very lame in response and especially when he whined about visiting Israel when he was campaigning – everyone knows he was pandering for Jewish votes then.

And don’t forget this debate happened in Boca, where a lot of Jewish voters live and were watching.

I’m so glad Romney brought that up. I had forgotten about it but it was Obamuh’s first major foreign policy flub as president and it really offended a lot of us. And I’m sure the slimestreamers are avoiding talking about it bcuz they would choke if they had to mention it.

Thanks Libby for posting this. I am so happy Mitt stood up for the US on this matter. Mitt, IMO, loves our Republic and Israel. I feel with all my heart Mitt will not bow or apologize to any nation about the US! bho actually seems to hate our nation and by his policies the proof is everywhere!

That, I thought was the best part of last night’s debate. If President Downgrade had anything to battle (future president) Romney with, Mitt still had even more ammunition. He could have also referenced BOWING DOWN to middle east arabs. Thank you Mr. Romney, truly a leader that these United States need.